A Business Transformed

“When I started this business, personal security was one of my main priorities. Several years ago, the Lord changed my heart and now my desire is to serve and glorify the Lord in the work I do and the company does. This desire and prayer have had a huge impact on me and how we operate our company.”

Justin owns and operates a freight forwarding business that specializes in transporting fresh and frozen products. He has warehouses in Minneapolis and Chicago with employees in both locations.

“Today our first priority is to understand our customers and to serve their needs. We meet at least monthly with all the employees, including those who work on the loading docks. We ask them to share stories about how we can better serve our customers and work as team doing so.

“Recently, one of the employees at our Chicago warehouse shared the following story. Late on a Friday night a truck carrying products arrived from a customer in Indianapolis to be delivered to its customers in both Chicago and Minneapolis. The truck had been loaded in a very random way, with individual orders mixed up and paperwork not matching the orders.

“The employee, who had already put in a full day, could have just offloaded the items to be delivered in Chicago and sent the truck on its way to Minneapolis. He wasn’t expected to do anything more.

“Instead, he said, ‘Why don’t we unload the whole truck and reload it correctly for the guys in Minneapolis?’ It took two employees four hours into the wee hours to identify, sort and reload.

“This is a small story that could go unnoticed, but it really reflects an attitude of employees in Chicago who wanted to support employees in Minneapolis, who had just gone through a difficult time changing warehouse locations.

“A consultant once told me that the best brand promise is not one that is expressed but one that is felt or experienced. I think the same is true for how we serve the Lord in our work. What counts is how I live it out.

“My job is to serve the Lord by providing a place where people have the opportunity to participate in his work in the marketplace and by leading our employees to work cooperatively in understanding the real needs of our customers and in meeting those needs. The result is just that and a whole lot more.”

Written by Bill Dalgetty, President, Christians in Commerce. Copyright Christians in Commerce. christiansincommerce.org Used by permission. Content distributed by WorkLife.org > Used for non-profit teaching purposes only.

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